10/10 - Books of the Bible or a Bible of Books?

Last night I was treated to a unique sight. Our confirmation crew had been tasked with sorting 66 books into seven categories without using any words. The resulting challenge felt like something off of the show Survivor and yet, it was the Bible these kids were getting excited about. 

As we discussed last night, the Bible is actually a collection of books and these different books contain different genres of writing. While the Law lays out a plan for how God’s people were supposed to live, the History books tell a story of their actual disobedience. The Prophets then respond to these events with further words from God, while the Wisdom and Poetry books give a more human perspective. These Old Testament books form a picture of God’s efforts to reach out to humanity despite our resistance. 

The New Testament is all about Jesus Christ and is composed of writing by apostles and eyewitnesses. It includes four Gospels describing the life of Jesus, one last History book describing the Acts of the Holy Spirit, and then a collection of Letters sent to churches and leaders with insights into life in Christ. The Bible ends with one final Prophecy describing how Christians should face times of persecution and doubt.

Students last night were able to explore this overview in a hands-on way, handling individual books as actual books and comparing them in their categories. 

It is our hope that every student owns a physical Bible. If you do not, please let us know so we can get you one! We also recommend downloading the YouVersion Bible App (a scripture based, Christian social media platform). 

The Bible is an odd Holy Book; it is collaborative, written by 40+ authors over a period of over a thousand years. When we say the Bible is the Word of God it is because we see the effects that these books have had on the lives of countless individuals when brought together. Faith in Christ expands the value of these writings, faith in these writings expands our faith in Christ. The Christians who have done the most for God’s Kingdom are usually ones who have also treasured the Bible. 

So I encourage you all to read it. Find a genre you like and start from there.

-Jashton Gieser